Whenever we go back to my husband's hometown for any of the summer holidays – Flag Day, July 4th, or Labor Day – there is always a little taco cart sitting at the park with the rest of the food trucks. This one cart always a line stretching out in front and around the corner with people waiting to get their mitts on classic street tacos, burritos, and grilled Mexican street corn (elotes) slathered in sauce.

There is absolutely no way to eat this messy corn on the cob delicately, but usually you're not alone since half of the other people gathering for the event are equally covered in it as well. Small town events, and their street cart food, mean that summer is really here!

Have you seen those bags of sweet mini peppers showing up in the markets recently? They've become my new favorite snack. I down them raw like popcorn. Crunchy vegetable popcorn, with stems for handles.

When the grill is out I just toss the peppers with olive oil and plop them on the grill. Sprinkle with salt and you have the easiest pepper side ever for grilled meat.

The other day I had some leftover smoked mozzarella from a recipe and decided to stuff my favorite little peppers with it.

Unlike other lemon cookies, which have just the barest hint of lemon flavor, these cookies pack quite a lemony punch, but without tasting too sour or too artificial. The secret is to use three different types of lemon flavoring in the dough: lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract.

Most lemon cookies also tend to be crispy and crumbly. I have anything against those cookies, but I want a cookie that I can really sink my teeth into. These soft and chewy lemon cookies are certainly that.

Barbecue sauce is contentious in a way that few condiments are. Local pride is on the line. Sauce-wise, I'm mostly stateless and am just as happy with North Carolina-style vinegar sauce as I am with a Kansas City sauce made with tomatoes and molasses.

But when it comes to grilled chicken, nothing feels as perfect as the tang of a mustard-based South Carolina-style barbecue sauce.

One of the best ways to prepare salmon is to poach it, in just a little liquid. We often use this "shallow poaching" method with a little white wine and herbs.

You can also make a simple sauce and poach the salmon in it, which is what we are doing here with these fillets, cooking them in a sauce of onions, tomatoes, white wine, and capers. Preparing salmon this way perfect for a quick and and easy midweek meal, and elegant enough for company.

If you crave a good iced coffee in the summer, but loathe the way so many end up tasting watery or overly bitter, then there's only one solution: cold brew coffee. This method guarantees a smooth and icy cup, every time.

These grilled Korean beef skewers are a little sweet, a little spicy from the gochujang (which is a Korean chili paste), and full of umami. The best part is that you can have them on the table in about a half hour.

I'll never forget the first time I ate Korean food. We were visiting my mom's friend in Los Angeles and she took us out for Korean barbecue. My first taste of kimchi, banchan, and bulgogi and I was hooked.